Cumbria builders miss out

Insurers are not giving work to local builders in Cumbria despite local Workington MP Tony Cunningham asking them to use local contractors after the floods, the Times and Star reports.

Cunningham said: “I recently met with the chief executives of many insurance companies such as AXA and Aviva and I made it clear that people had to be given the chance to choose which companies they wanted to use. What we can’t do is force people to use local companies.”

A spokesman for the Association of British Insurers said: “Insurers’ number one priority is to get the customer back into their home as quickly as possible. Our priority is not to give business to local builders but to help out customers.

Efficient and quick

“We don’t set out to take work from local trades people. What insurance companies do is have a list of tradesmen and builders who they know will do a good job an efficient job and will complete it quickly.

“If customers know of a reliable builder then they can approach their insurance company about using them.”